PERMANENT 100% ANTIMICROBIAL MEDICAL PLASTIC Combating infections is one of the major goals of the entire medical community due to the exponential cost associated with care of an infected patient. Technology innovations to reduce infection brought about by cross-contamination of patients staying in healthcare facilities can have major impact to the medical community in terms of both dollars and human lives. Approximately 5% to 10% of all patients entering a hospital will contact some form of infection during their stay at the healthcare facility. It is estimated that hospitals spend over $30 billion annually and over 100,000 lives can be lost as a result of nosocomial infections. Statistics show that personal hygiene consisting mainly of hand washing with antimicrobial soaps does not occur frequently enough to prevent the $30 billion dollar expenditure that healthcare facilities endure on an annual basis. Unfortunately, medical products containing only 0.1-1.0% of leachable antimicrobial additives only provide temporary antimicrobial action because the biocidal agent can be easily removed by washing or wiping the surface of the medical product. Brighton Development has developed with NIH support a 100% permanent antimicrobial plastic that can be used in numerous medical products found in the healthcare community. In Phase II, we would like to focus on exploiting the feasibility of this discovery as a permanent 100% antimicrobial material and demonstrate its advantages in combating infection in the healthcare environment. Brighton Development will generate the required data to obtain registration of the 100% antimicrobial products with the EPA and subsequently provide these products to the healthcare community. The goals of this project are in alignment with one of NIH top priorities of HAI elimination (Healthcare-associated Infections) that has dramatic impact in terms of both dollars and human lives. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This proposal is aimed at developing permanent 100% antimicrobial medical plastic products that can be used to reduce the billions of dollars spent annually by healthcare facilities to combat patient infections. Statistics show that the magnitude of this problem affects from 5-10% of all people entering the hospital and accounts for annual expenditures by the medical community of over 30 billion dollars even with documented frequencies of antimicrobial hand washing by hospital staff. A truly durable 100% antimicrobial plastic material developed in Phase I with NIH support could find numerous uses in medical products throughout healthcare facilities. As a part of the Phase II, the 100% antimicrobial products will be registered with the EPA and subsequently provided to the healthcare community. The goals of this project are in alignment with one of NIH top priorities of HAI elimination (Healthcare-associated Infections) that has dramatic impact in terms of both dollars and human lives.